Front Hub Labeling Incorrect?

[Paul Baldock]

The lietarture says the front hubs are labeled
"LOCK" and "AUTO". However, those on my 2
week old PSD Excursion are labeled "LOCK" and "FREE". Both my dealer and the very nice lady
on the Ford 1-800 line say its a miss- labeling and I really do have the auto locking hubs.

I guess its not easy to tell until I need it, as there's no noticable clunk when the 4WD light comes on.

Anybody elses miss-labeled?

By the way. Under what circumstances would I ever get out and set the hubs to LOCK?

Thanks

Paul

[Travis]

Does the Excursion have manual 4x4(non ESOF).
Do you have a leaver on the floor or a switch on the dash?
Mine are labeled lock and free (manual hubs) and I have a leaver on the floor for the transfer case.

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99 F250 psd cc lariat 4x4
6 speed shorty

[daddydog]

Mine are labeled lock & auto with the switch on the dash. I'd like to know when you'd have to take it off auto too.

[Wayne Steele]

I think you only need to move the selector from AUTO to LOCKED in the event the hubs fail to engage with the ESOF switch. It's kind of an emergency override.

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Ordered 11/22/99: Excursion Limited 4X4 V10 in Estate Green with ALL of the Toys

[LAD]

Paul, you may have to do some investigation to be sure you have the correct equipment. Assuming you have the dash switch that confirms you have ESOF (Electric Shift On Fly), both of the front hubs should have a silver stripe on the face of the dial bar. (The "handle" that you grab to turn them.) They should also say "LOCK" and "AUTO". If the silver bar is missing, you do NOT have auto hubs, and you should go directly to your dealer to have them swapped. If the bar is correct, but the printing is not, they'll work OK, but still don't read correctly. Again, off to the dealer.
Mis-builds like this don't happen often, but they do exist. If you need more proof, have your dealer grab one each of F81Z-3B396-CA (the auto hub lock) and F81Z-3B396-DA (the manual hub lock) and do a visual comparison.
FYI, you really never have to turn the dials from the "AUTO" position, unless there is a problem with 4WD locking in. The "LOCK" position is a manual override in case something goes wrong with the system; kind of a security back-up.